The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-10-22
GOODNESS ! 5 MEANNESS
BY MARY GRAN NJ Err.
CHAPTER vi.
THE FIEND.
A STORY FOR GIRLS.


shape, our fancy would paint it as a
a,elloac .fend ESQ termed by the Press
when it was committing such terrible
ravages all over the South some few
years since) having long bat-iike wings
and great claws for feet and hands.
Then, surprising him 10 be invested
with physical attributes, he would hi
bernate in some dismal swamp during
the dark days of winter; and in sum-
mer when warmed up by the solstitial
sun he would rise up from his filthy,
Shiny bed, stretch out his loaihsome
wings, and make his way to some city.
There he would slowly walk the streets,
and shake from his nauseOus body mil
lions of animaIcuIes. These invisible
little animals would crawl slowly from
place to place, work their way in.per-
cepiibly into the blood Of human be-
ings, and thus produce the fever. This
would be the process if medical theo-
ries at the time the disease was epi-
demic were correct, and the revellings
of imas inatiOn could become realities.
This horrid fiend, as we imagine, one
day, under the hot, scorching rays of
All August sun, winged his flight to a
beautiful little city in the South, which
the object of the present story does not
require to be named or described. A
lady was the first victim. AS she had
many friends there was large congre-
tinn at the funeral obsequies. Forty
eight hours afterward, there were
twenty-five or thirty well-developed
cases of yellow fever. From this point,
the iend moved leisurely along from
town to town and city to city.
AT length, he alighted in the city of
J. where Belle 3radleigh dWelt.
The inhabitants were panic-strickeD.
Then there was a sudden and rapid ex-
odus of human beings, which brought
into requisition every available mode
of conveyance. The trains could not
accommodate tue vast crowds of flight
ened people who were trampling each
other down in their frantic efforts to
escape the clutches of the yellow mon
ster. They fled in carriages, bnggies,
wagons, ON horses, and some, who
could procure no sort of conveyance,
hurried away on foot. There was uni
versal confusion, and general anarchy
made it "wOrse confOunded." In the
widespread CONSERVATION the trem-
bling cry was heard on all sides s'saucc
q,ti 7oeut." Strong men in their fright
rudeIy pushed aside delicate women
aud children in order to clear the way
for their own distracted cgressiop.
Some husbands cowardly deserted their
wives, and rapidly touk flight toward
the pole-star, leaving their families to
take care of themselves. An invading
army could not have created greater
alarm, terror and dismay.
Belle Bradleigh had u carriage of her
own, and she, her mother, and Mary,
had determined to fly from the city.
They found it impossible to secure
even standing room upon any train.
They hastily packed up such wearing
apparel as they could conveniently
carry, and started in II northerly direc-
ton. They had reached the four-mile
post from the city, and were beginning
to congratulate themselves on their es-
cape, when suddenly Mrs. Bradleigh,
startled by chilly sensation, creeping
over her, wildly exclaimed:
90, girls, I've got it! I've got it ~
"Gct what, Mama % asked Belle
suspiciousy.
.The fever-the yellow fever"
80. L reckon not, Mama," said Belle,
turning pale.
"But ! have, though. There's no
mistake. know the symptoms. What
must we dO?'
"There is nothing TO do, but return -
replied Mary quietly. sHou must
have medical attention, and we cannot
get that here in the woods"
"Can't We get a doctor TO come hCrc::''
asked the now frightened Belle. "It
will he the death of us all TO 60 back -
"Drive to the nearest house," said
Mrs. Bradleigh in a dcspOndent tone,
.sand leave me there to die, and yo.
girls go on, and save your lives, if you
can"
.How will that do, Mary"" asked
Belle, trembling with fear.
Mary look cd at her cousin in amaze
ment.
"Why, it wont do at ALL" replied
she emphatically. 81 could not think
of leaving Aunt Jane alone, with NJ
one to wait on her. Besides, 1 have
no idea they will allow us to stop a
the nearest house. III tell you what
let us drive back home, and l viii
remain with your mother and you car
go off alone TO some place of safety
There is no use of all OF us dying"
"I'm not going alone,' said Belle il
desperation. az don't know where 4
go to. So, if you 60 back to the city
will too, and we'll all die together"
"Let us start at once, them" SAT-
Mary eve have no time to lose
Aunt will soon need attention.
Accordingly the vehicle was turue